X-rig / Millenium rig theory

Ok, the IACC boats dropped two pairs of spreaders when these rigs came along. Nothing happened to any other boats.

Some structural benefits are obvious: with the same amount of spreaders You can achieve better shroud angles, and You´ll support the mast at more points along the mast. Since the support is better, a choice can be done between loosing some spreaders or making the mast thinner.

Then there is the issue about the crossing shrouds inside the mast. Having looked at the statics, the shrouds have to be discontinued = rigidly fastened to the mast in such a way that they don´t move through the mast when loaded. Right? Even if I´m right here, how the hell do You calculate the loads on a simple rig of this type?

Constructing a rig like this is in my opinion simpler (and thus cheaper) than a complicated multi-spreader rig. The system is obviously stronger for a given weight - what´s the problem here? Has anyone seen an exel-table avaliable for load calculation in such a system? What happens if the spreaders are aft swept to induce a good pre-bend to the system? Why don´t we see other boats with this set-up?

Even bad ideas count,

M